Chicken and Waffles, Keto-Style

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The Apollo Theater

📍 Where this dish comes from: Harlem, New York City · The Apollo Theater
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Chicken and Waffles, Keto-Style, plated and ready to serve

Chicken and waffles is the dish soul food restaurants are famous for — sweet and savory, crisp and soft, all on one plate. This version keeps that exact contrast: a crunchy, well-seasoned fried chicken thigh over a fluffy waffle, finished with real butter and a sugar-free syrup that pools into every crevice the same way the original does.

What You’ll Need

Ingredients for Chicken and Waffles, Keto-Style

Chicken and Waffles, Keto-Style

Crisp pork-rind-crusted fried chicken thighs stacked on a golden almond flour waffle, finished with a warm sugar-free maple drizzle.
Print Recipe
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 520kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 cup pork rinds finely crushed
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 large eggs beaten
  • 1/2 cup avocado oil for frying
  • 1 1/2 cups almond flour (for waffles)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 3 large eggs (for waffles)
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 3 tbsp butter melted, plus more for serving
  • 2 tbsp sugar-free maple syrup warmed

Instructions

  • In a shallow bowl, mix crushed pork rinds, 1/2 cup almond flour, smoked paprika, and cayenne.
  • Dip chicken thighs in beaten egg, then press into the pork rind mixture, coating thoroughly.
  • Heat avocado oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry chicken 5–6 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through (165°F internal). Rest on a wire rack.
  • For the waffles, whisk together 1 1/2 cups almond flour and baking powder in a bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, almond milk, and melted butter. Combine wet and dry ingredients until smooth.
  • Cook batter in a preheated, greased waffle iron according to manufacturer instructions, about 4–5 minutes per waffle.
  • Top each waffle with a piece of fried chicken, a pat of butter, and a drizzle of warm sugar-free maple syrup.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 520kcal | Protein: 34g | Fat: 38g | Fiber: 4g
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Cooking Chicken and Waffles, Keto-Style in the kitchen

Health Benefits

  • Almond flour waffles provide healthy fats and significantly more fiber than wheat-based waffles.
  • Pork rinds create a crisp, zero-carb breading alternative to traditional flour dredges.
  • Chicken thighs offer more flavor and moisture than breast meat while remaining a strong protein source.
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